Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Not all fats are bad; some are essential in the same way as vitamins.

Not all fats are fattening; the essential fatty acids are incorporated into body structures, and therefore don't get deposited into fatty tissue. In fact, they tend to increase the metabolism, and therefore help weight loss.

Now that we have these two misconceptions out of the way, let us continue with the discussion.

Unsaturated fats are in three groups, omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9. One member of the omega-9 group, oleic acid, found mainly in olive oil, is a component of lecithin, which has many functions.

One of the omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid, is recognised as essential, as is alpha-linolenic acid, one of the omega-3 group. EFAs have many functions, the main ones being cell wall structure and prostaglandin production.

Cell Wall Structure

All cells have a two-layered wall, of which EFAs form a major part. This forms a selective barrier between the inside and the outside. A shortage of EFAs could therefore have effects down to the cellular level, with potentially disastrous consequences.

Prostaglandins

EFAs also produce prostaglandins. These are very shortlived hormone-like molecules.

The omega-3 group of EFAs produces prostaglandins type 1 and 3 (PG1 and PG3). These have anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting effects. They also thin the blood and reduce blood pressure; they therefore protect against heart problems.

The omega-6 group produces prostaglandins PG2. These promote inflammation, and also contribute to clotting. Both of these effects are essential at times, such as when the skin is cut, and to fight infection. It can be seen that if either of these groups predominate, then problems can arise.

The correct proportion of omega-3 to omega-6 is 1-1, since this is the proportion found in all cell walls. There can therefore be three problems:

¨       An overall shortage of EFAs

¨       An excess of omega-3

¨       An excess of omega-6

An overall shortage of EFAs is a common problem, caused by reduced consumption of nuts, seeds and fish. Animal fats supply little EFAs, and modern production methods destroy the benefits of plant oils.

Redressing the Balance

How do we get our balance right?

The modern diet, lacking in fish and nuts high in omega-3, has a higher level of omega-6 than omega-3 oils. One plant source which is high in omega-3 is linseed. This contains around 55% omega-3 compared to 20% omega-6. Two or three tablespoonfuls a day could help EFA levels enormously and push the balance towards omega-3.

Eating plenty of oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, trout and sardines, would do the same job, but a growing problem is contamination. In the case of farmed salmon there is a double problem; the artificial feeding system reduces omega-3 oils, and these fish are often treated with antibiotics, hormones and insecticides.

In the case of plant products, such as linseed oil, at least conditions can be controlled, so that there is no pollution.

The best approach to re-balancing EFAs for optimum health is probably to consume linseed (as seeds or oil), for a month or two, in order to get the omega-3 levels up, and then consume a mixture of linseed oil and either pumpkin, sesame or sunflower oil, preferably cold-pressed.

There are a number of mixtures of oils recently available which supply the correct mix of omega-3 and omega-6 oils.

To buy any of these products, click this link: www.NationalNutrition.co.uk